A group of fourteen sixth grade students from Sand Lake and
Chinook Schools combined, in 1988, to write a history of the Sand
Lake neighborhood in Anchorage. Led by their teacher, Connie Marinella,
and parent volunteer Liz Lauzen, the students conducted oral history
interviews with the pioneers and homesteaders who originally settled
in the Sand Lake area. Students also visited the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) to research homesteading records. All interviews
were conducted by the students, either in person or by phone.
The pioneers interviewed include Vern Risch, Ella McRae, Karen
Young, Bill tanner, Bob Evenson, Kathleen Erenson, Mike Rogers,
Marty McGee, Dorothy Holland, Jum Utter, Don Putman, Mrs. Muth,
Joe Hayes, and William Imlach.

The collection is divided into six series. Series one contains
published copies of the Sand Lake History Project. Series two
contains notes of interviews with Sand Lake pioneers, including
transcripts, plus audio tapes of two interviews. Series three
contains photographs used in the publication or for post publication
purposes. Included in this series are 43 black and white prints,
and 49 black and white negatives. Series four consists of records
obtained from the BLM. Series five includes additional research
materials gather by the students. Series six concerns the public
response to the project's publication including 17 black and white
prints and 18 negatives relating to a television interview with
the student authors.

This collection was presented to the archives by Liz Lauzen
in May 2000. A deed of gift was signed in June 2000.